Missile roll control mechanism

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for controlling the roll of a missile in flight by selective operation of a pair of missile thrusters. Each thruster has a valve to control the flow of gas thereto. The operation of one of the valves is controlled by a pilot valve and operation of the other valve is controlled by pressure feedback from operation of the first thruster.

United States Patent Holland l lMarch 20, 1973 s41 MISSILE ROLL CONTROL3,121,440 2/1964 Heller ..60/35.54 MECHANISM 3,115,887 12/1963 McCorkle..l37/82 3,190,069 6/1965 Gorbaty ..60/35.54 [75] Inventor: Thomas M.Holland, Orlando. Fla. [73] Assignee: The United States of America as 'fBorchelt represented by the secretary f he Asszstant ExammerJames M.Hanley Army Attorney-Harry M. Saragovitz et al.

[22] Filed: June 25, 1971 ABSTRACT App]. No.: 156,627

U.S. Cl. ..244/3.22, 60/229, 137/119 References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 4/1964 Salemka ..60/35.54

A mechanism for controlling the roll of a missile in flight by selectiveoperation of a pair of missile thrusters. Each thruster has a valve tocontrol the flow of gas thereto. The operation of one of the valves iscontrolled by a pilot valve and operation of the other valve iscontrolled by pressure feedback from operation of the first thruster.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures MISSILE ROLL CONTROL MECHANISM BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to fluid control valves. All knownprior art has required complex systems involving the use of a solenoidand pilot valve for the control of each thruster.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention reduces the complexity ofprevious systems by using one solenoid and one pilot valve to controloperation of the first thruster. Operation of the second thruster iscontrolled by a pressure feedback from the first thruster therebyeliminating the necessity of a second solenoid and pilot valve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic of thecomponents of the mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a partial view showing the energized position of the pilotvalve.

FIG. 3 is a partial view of a second embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1, reference numerals100 and 200 indicate thrusters of the roll control mechanism andrespectively include pressure chambers 101, 201 and nozzles 102, 202 formissile thrust development. Hot gas, under a pressure Ps, is deliveredby the missile to the chambers through inlets 103 and 203. The gas flowthrough these inlets is controlled by valves 104 and 204 respectivelymounted on pintles 105 and 205 that in turn are mounted on sealingpistons 106 and 206 for movement in piston chambers 107 and 207. Chamber107 has an inlet 108 to allow the gas under pressure Ps to enter the Ichamber and act on piston 106. This chamber also has an outlet 109,controlled by a solenoid operated pilot valve 10, for exiting the gas inthe chamber to atmosphere when valve opens outlet 109. Pilot valve 10 isoperated by an armature 12 of solenoid 14 and is biased to a closedposition by a spring 16 when the solenoid is de-energized. When switch18 is closed the solenoid is energized and causes valve 10 to openoutlet 109. Valve chamber 207 has an inlet 208 on one side of piston 206to provide a pressure feedback communication through a conduit 300between chamber 101 and chamber 207. Chambers 107 and 207 have outlets110 and 210 communicating with atmosphere to prevent the pistons fromworking against a trapped head pressure.

In operation the roll control mechanism is actuated by hot gases fromthe missile gas generator thereby supplying gas under pressure Ps toinlets 103, I08 and 203. In the condition when solenoid 12 isdeenergized, valve 10 maintains outlet 109 closed and gas enters andremains in chamber 107. The pressure of the gas now changes from Ps to apressure P107 which is adequate for actuation of piston 106, due toreduced inlet 108, and because the gas expands in chamber 107. PressureP107 acts on the face area of piston 106 and develops a force that isgreater than that developed in opposition thereto on the valve end ofpintle 105. The force acting on piston 106 is developed by pressure P107while the opposing force acting on the valve end of pintle 105 is causedby pressure Ps acting on valve 104 at inlet 103. By design of chambervolume and piston face area in relation to valve face and pintle areasthe resulting differential pressure produces a single greater force onthe face of the piston 106. This greater force causes piston 106 andvalve 104 to shift to the left and seal off gas flow through inlet 103.Pressure P101 now rapidly falls to atmospheric pressure Pa with anattendant elimination of thrust from no'zzle 102. As pressure P101 fallsofi, the pressure feedback force acting on piston 206 is also relievedand supply gas under pressure Ps enters inlet 203 to develop a greaterforce on valve 204 than the force caused by pressure P101 acting onpiston 206. This greater force causes valve 204 and piston 206 to shiftto the right allowing gas to flow through inlet 203 into chamber 201thereby developing a pressure P201 and thrust is now delivered fromnozzle 202.

When the solenoid is energized, by closing switch 18, valve 10 allowsgas in chamber 107 to exit outlet 109. The size of outlet 109 is greaterby design than inlet 108 thereby allowing gas to exit faster than it isentering the chamber. Thus the pressure P.107 will fall to a level wherethe force exerted by the supply pressure Ps through inlet 103 acting onvalve 104 is greater than the force developed by P107 acting on piston106. This greater force causes piston 106 and valve 104 to shift to theright allowing gas to flow through inlet 103 into chamber 101 and thrustis consequently delivered from nozzle 102. Simultaneously pressure P101acting through feedback line 300 on piston 206 results in a force thatis greater than Ps acting on valve 204. This greater force causes piston206 and valve 204 to shift to the left and seal off gas flow throughinlet 203. The chamber pressure P201 rapidly falls to atmosphericpressure Pa with an attendant elimination of thrust from nozzle 202.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative means for supplying the gas to chamber 107.In this embodiment inlet 108 is placed through the center of pintle 105and piston 106 and exits into chamber 107. Inlet 108 is also smallerthan exit 109 for above reason. This arrangement eliminates the separategas supply line as used in the first embodiment and operates in the samemanner as the above described embodiment.

I claim:

1. A missile roll control mechanism comprising: selectively operatedfirst and second missile thrusters including pressure chambers forproducing thrust when gas flow is directed to the selected thruster; acommon pressurized gas supply arranged for supplying gas to saidthrusters; first valve means disposed to control gas flow to said firstthruster; a pilot valve disposed to control movement of said first valvemeans; second valve means disposed to control gas flow to said secondthruster, and means for providing a pressure feedback from said firstthruster to said second valve means to control movement thereof, saidfirst and second valve means each including a valve chamber, a pistonmounted in each valve chamber for movement therein and a valve mountedon each of said pistons for controlling the gas flow to their respectivethrusters, said gas supply including an inlet directly connected to saidvalve chamber of said first thruster and a gas outlet disposed in saidchamber of said first thruster which is controlled by said pilot valve,said second valve causes said pilot valve to open said gas outlet.

4. A missile roll control mechanism as in claim 3 wherein said solenoidoperated pilot valve includes a spring for biasing said pilot valve to aclosed position thereby closing said gas outlet when said solenoid isdeenergized.

1. A missile roll control mechanism comprising: selectively operated first and second missile thrusters including pressure chambers for producing thrust when gas flow is directed to the selected thruster; a common pressurized gas supply arranged for supplying gas to said thrusters; first valve means disposed to control gas flow to said first thruster; a pilot valve disposed to control movement of said first valve means; second valve means disposed to control gas flow to said second thruster, and means for providing a pressure feedback from said first thruster to said second valve means to control movement thereof, said first and second valve means each including a valve chamber, a piston mounted in each valve chamber for movement therein and a valve mounted on each of said pistons for controlling the gas flow to their respective thrusters, said gas supply including an inlet directly connected to said valve chamber of said first thruster and a gas outlet disposed in said chamber of said first thruster which is controlled by said pilot valve, said second valve chamber of said second thruster includes an inlet connected with said first thrust chamber.
 2. A missile roll control mechanism as in claim 1 wherein said first valve chamber pressure inlet is formed through the center of said piston connecting said gas supply to said chamber.
 3. A missile roll control mechanism as in claim 2 including an electrical solenoid which when energized causes said pilot valve to open said gas outlet.
 4. A missile roll control mechanism as in claim 3 wherein said solenoid operated pilot valve includes a spring for biAsing said pilot valve to a closed position thereby closing said gas outlet when said solenoid is de-energized. 